From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Fri Dec 1 14:22:56 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Fri, 01 Dec 2006 11:22:56 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] H. H. Koelle - Prof. Koelle and other Authors on the Subject of Lunar Development Message-ID: <45708110.40500@gmail.com> H. H. Koelle - Prof. Koelle and other Authors on the Subject of Lunar Development - Do go to Professor Koelle's website and go down to the Publications list. This should keep you busy for some time. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/ Heinz-Hermann KoelleVita Born 1925 in the former Freestate of Danzig, Pilot during World War II, (1954) MS Mechanical Engineering, Technical University Stuttgart, (1963) Ph.D. Berlin, (1955-65) member of the Dr. von Braun team at Huntsville Ala. (Chief, Preliminary Design, ABMA & Director, Future Projects NASA/MSFC), (1960) US Citizen, (1961) Editor-in-Chief: Handbook of Astronautical Engineering -McGraw-Hill, (1965-91) Professor of Space Technology, Technical University Berlin (TUB), (1989-91) Dean, Department of Transportation, Technical University Berlin, Member of International Academy of Astronautics, Chairman, Subcommittee on Lunar development, over 300 publications. Snip * *Lunar Database Index* * 0. Basic Data * 1. Lunar Market * 2. Lunar Base Program * 3. Lunar Science * 4. Lunar Facilities * 5. Lunar Logistics * 6. Lunar Space Transportation Systems * 7. Lunar Cost And Benefits * 8. Blueprints For Program Alternatives Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- I hope that those evaluating what we should do on the Moon, are aware of what others have already considered and discussed and evaluated. - LRK - Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Not to forget, in case you missed. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.psi.edu/hartmann/pic-cat/preview.html WILLIAM K. HARTMANN'S Comprehensive Online Painting Gallery -------------------------------------------------------------- ============================================================== http://www.astronautix.com/craft/ausation.htm Aussenstation /Class/: Manned. /Type/: Space Station. /Destination/: Space Station Orbit. /Nation/: Germany. H. H. Koelle's Aussenstation was a large circular structure consisting of 36 separate 5-m spheres arranged around a central hub, the whole structure rotating to provide an artificial gravity environment. Each sphere, launched via separate rockets, was a complete functional module. In this way the station could be made operational before fabrication was completed, and subsequent expansion of the structure could take place whenever desired. Total personnel complement of the station would range from 50 to 65 people. Estimated cost was $518 million for construction and $620 million over an operational lifetime of six months. The station would be used for scientific investigations of Earth's upper atmosphere, weather observation, astrophysical research, and human and chemical research in a zero-gravity environment. It also might serve as a communications and navigation link with the ground and as a station for launching more distant space missions. Snip ============================================================== Lunar Base Quarterly Index http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/lbq/index.html Snip ============================================================== Lunar Bases and Settlement http://www.nss.org/settlement/moon/index.html Snip Links Snip Lunar Base Quarterly http://www.irs.uni-stuttgart.de/institut/mitarbeiter/laufer/lbq.html [Note: May time out - should be the same as the Lunar Base Quarterly Index above, just in a different format. - LRK-] Snip ============================================================== Heinz-Hermann Koelle http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/ Snip Publications of Prof. Koelle and other Authors on the Subject of Lunar Development /I converted the files to pdf. If there's an error, please contact G. Kleintges , 11.10.2005/ * Lunar Base Quarterly * *Lunar Database Index* * 0. Basic Data * 1. Lunar Market * 2. Lunar Base Program * 3. Lunar Science * 4. Lunar Facilities * 5. Lunar Logistics * 6. Lunar Space Transportation Systems * 7. Lunar Cost And Benefits * 8. Blueprints For Program Alternatives Snip [Note: Many more PDF files listed as well, so do check them out. - LRK -] ============================================================== JPL Space Calendar http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/#0712 Snip December 2007 * Dec ?? -Updated[Nov 27] SBIRS-High F-1 Atlas 5 Launch * Dec 01 -New[Nov 26] Asteroid 2006 KK89 Near-Earth Flyby (0.090 AU) * Dec 01 -New[Nov 26] Asteroid 9954 Brachiosaurus Closest Approach To Earth (1.444 AU) * Dec 01 -New[Nov 27] Asteroid 9661 Hohmann Closest Approach To Earth (2.752 AU) * Dec 01 -New[Nov 27] Kuiper Belt Object 19521 Chaos Closest Approach To Earth (40.857 AU) * Dec 02 -New[Nov 28] Cassini , Orbital Trim Maneuver #136 (OTM-136) * Dec 02 -New[Nov 28] Cassini , Distant Flyby of Telesto & Mimas * Dec 02 -New[Nov 29] Comet 179P/Jedicke Perihelion (4.087 AU) * Dec 02 -New[Nov 29] Asteroid 3354 McNair Closest Approach To Earth (1.523 AU) * Dec 03 -New[Nov 30] Cassini , Distant Flyby of Epimetheus * Dec 03 -New[Nov 30] Asteroid 4147 Lennon Closest Approach To Earth (1.557 AU) * Dec 05 -New[Dec 01] Cassini , Titan Flyby * Dec 06 -Updated[Nov 28] STS-123 Launch , Space Shuttle Endeavour, Japan's ELM-PS, Canadian Hand "Dextre" (International Space Station 1J/A ) * Dec 06 -New[Dec 01] NOAA-N Prime (NOAA-19) Delta 2 Launch Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at sbcglobal.net) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Sat Dec 2 21:31:24 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2006 18:31:24 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] LUNAR BASE PROGRAM - THE JUSTIFICATION FOR A LUNAR BASE Message-ID: <457236FC.3080700@gmail.com> LUNAR BASE PROGRAM - THE JUSTIFICATION FOR A LUNAR BASE Looking at the below PDF files and thinking about what we might do on the Moon, but first we need to get there. That means folks will be asking to justify why you would want to go. Pulled a section out of the number 2 file - Lunar Base Program and copied below. Will be interesting to hear what the NASA Press Conference will have to say coming up this Monday, December 4, since it will announce the agency's global exploration strategy and lunar architecture. - LRK - Once again, let me post these links in hopes that you will find them informative. - LRK - http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/ Heinz-Hermann Koelle Snip * *Lunar Database Index* * 0. Basic Data * 1. Lunar Market * 2. Lunar Base Program * 3. Lunar Science * 4. Lunar Facilities * 5. Lunar Logistics * 6. Lunar Space Transportation Systems * 7. Lunar Cost And Benefits * 8. Blueprints For Program Alternatives Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Here is the Spaceref.com reference to the press conference. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.nl.html?pid=21364 *PRESS RELEASE* *Date Released:* Tuesday, November 28, 2006 Source: NASA HQ NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale and senior executives from the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate will host a press conference at 1 p.m. CST Monday, Dec. 4, to announce the agency's global exploration strategy and lunar architecture. Scott Horowitz, associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, and his deputy, Doug Cooke, will participate in the news briefing. The event will be at NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, and will air live on the Internet and NASA Television. Reporters may ask questions from participating agency locations. Reporters should coordinate with local NASA centers for access information. The global exploration strategy explains the themes and objectives of lunar exploration. The lunar architecture explains how the moon will be explored. For NASA TV streaming video, downlink and scheduling information, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv For information about NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate visit: http://exploration.nasa.gov Snip [Note: NASA link - http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/nov/HQ_M06181_exploration_briefing.html ] -------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/Moonbase/Kap2.pdf 2. LUNAR BASE PROGRAM Table of Contents (46 pp., 23 tabs, 2 figs, 26 refs.): Doc-L21: THE JUSTIFICATION FOR A LUNAR BASE ( 11 pp., 5 tables) 21. 0 Philosophical Justification: 21. 1 Classification of Objectives 21. 2 Ranked List of Objectives 21. 3 The Rationale For Lunar Development Doc-L22: REPRESENTATIVE LUNAR DEVELOPMENT TIME LINE OF A REPRESENTATIVE STRATEGY (Model: 1995)- (2 pp.) Doc-L23 : LUNAR DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES ( 3 pp., 3 tables) 23. 1 Alternative Lunar Development Strategies 23. 2 Logistical Options Doc-L24: BUILDING BLOCK SCENARIOS(1 p.) Doc-L25 : SKILLS AND ACTIVITIES REQUIRED (14 pp., 11 tables, 2 figs.) 25.1 Activities Required at a Lunar Base 25.2 General Skills Required of lunar Personnel 25.3 Initial Skill Model 25.4 Efficiency of extraterrestrial crews 25.41 Introduction 25.42 Variables 25.43 Definition and Codes of Facilities 25.44 Specific human labor demand 25.45 Input requirements for LUBSIM 25.46 Estimating Relationships: 25.47 System parameters characterizing the base architecture: 25.48 Expected types of relationships Doc-L26 : PROGRAM UNCERTAINTIES ( 12 pp., 4 tables,) 26. 1 Introduction 26.2 Methods 26.3 Definition of risks 26.4 Comparative risk analysis model (CRAM) 26.5 Valuation of risk analysis results 26.6 Summary and Conclusions 26.7 Illustrative Example of estimating program risk (or uncertainties) References Section 2: (1 page, 26) Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Doc-L21: THE JUSTIFICATION FOR A LUNAR BASE 21.0 Philosophical Justification: The WHY of Space flight - Motivations governing space flight The exploration of space by the people for the people is - as conquering and using the continents, the oceans and the atmosphere has been - a consequencial step of the evolution of life on Earth. Spaceflight is the means to the explore and utilize space. This is a natural extension of man's need to understand his environment and his urge to explore the unknown. In exploring and utilizing space, humanity as a whole as well as the individual will come to recognize the dimensions of space and time more profoundly, giving us a perspective on our own excistence that will enable us to define our role in the world more completely. As long as there is even the most remote possibility of other intelligent forms of life existing in the Universe, it is strategically unwise for humans to wait for such life-forms to notice us, rather than gathering information about them. Exploring and utilizing space with the means of spaceflight contributes not only to the faster acquisition of knowledge, but also to an increase of the quality of life on Earth for the current generation. Spaceflight has sparked many innovations in nearly all fields of human life which we can observe daily. Examples are: Earth observation satellites assist us in the surveillance of the Earth biotope, measuring the changes of the Earth crust, and in the discovery of new resources. Space based communication- and information systems help us to save lives, to exchange thoughts and valuable information, and spread knowledge to the smallest village. They are also of assistance to control the flow of people and goods at minimal energy expenditure. This innovation process will continue and accelerate in the decades to come. Moreover, spaceflight enhances the understanding of the history and the limitations of life in our solar system, thus improving the survival chances of future generations in the millenia to come. Essential to this is the constant surveillance of space and development of provisions against cosmic desasters threatening life on Earth such as the potential impact of large meteoroids. The arguement often brought up, that spaceflight is too expensive, is not convincing if put into perspective. The annual global expenditures for all space activities are close to 40 billion dollar. This is merely five percent of the current annual global expenditures for military purposes. This relation of 1 to 20 must not stay the same in the decades to come, it can and should be changed in favour of space activities. The entire subject of space economics should be clearly explained and understood by all peoples of Earth. Utilization of space resources can provide a significant pay-off and in the future, can justify an expanded program.This is an issue we need to think about and discuss extensively in the general public. Exploring and utilizing space is a task for all of the human civilization and a powerful force for reducing the differences between races and nations. Space technology is an effective means to reduce conflicts and avoid large scale wars. War as a tool of politics will become increasingly obsolete. In the long run, space exploration and utilization of its resources will lead to peace by uniting mankind in the recognition that we are all are crew members of Spaceship Earth with one and the same destiny. CONCLUSION: It is the cultural duty of all nations to participate in this evolutionary development of space to the extent of their capabilities and means. The possibility of major economic benefits makes this even more desirable, and the constant threat of cosmic desaster makes it more necessary. It remains the constant task, challenge and responsibility of the leading politicians - particularly those of space faring nations - to address the relevance of spaceflight continuously and assign adequate resources to this activity in proper relation to its current and future importance. 21.1 Classification of Objectives Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Mon Dec 4 17:31:58 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:31:58 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] The How and Why of Returning to the Moon Message-ID: <4574A1DE.6020904@gmail.com> *The How and Why of Returning to the Moon* Watched the press briefing at JSC by way of NASA TV on the Internet. There was talk about next year making trips to other countries to promote International cooperation as well as welcoming commercial interests. I think there is a need keep the interest up around the world and to make this something that everyone will want to look up for. - LRK - Some clips on that below. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main/index.html *The How and Why of Returning to the Moon* NASA has unveiled the initial elements of the Global Exploration Strategy and a proposed U.S. lunar architecture, two critical tools for achieving the nation's vision of returning humans to the moon. The Global Exploration Strategy focuses on two overarching issues: Why we are returning to the moon and what we plan to do when we get there. The strategy includes a comprehensive set of the reasons for embarking upon human and robotic exploration of the moon. NASA's proposed lunar architecture focuses on a third issue: How humans might accomplish the mission of exploring the moon. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/dec/HQ_06361_ESMD_Lunar_Architecture.html Michael Braukus/Beth Dickey Headquarters, Washington 202-358-1979/2087 Kelly Humphries Johnson Space Center, Houston 281-483-5111 Dec. 4, 2006 RELEASE: 06-361 NASA Unveils Global Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture HOUSTON ? NASA on Monday unveiled the initial elements of the Global Exploration Strategy and a proposed U.S. lunar architecture, two critical tools for achieving the nation's vision of returning humans to the moon. NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale, who is guiding the long-term strategy development effort among 14 of the world's space agencies, said, "This strategy will enable interested nations to leverage their capabilities and financial and technical contributions, making optimum use of globally available knowledge and resources to help energize a coordinated effort that will propel us into this new age of discovery and exploration." The Global Exploration Strategy focuses on two overarching issues: Why we are returning to the moon and what we plan to do when we get there. The strategy includes a comprehensive set of the reasons for embarking upon human and robotic exploration of the moon. NASA's proposed lunar architecture focuses on a third issue: How humans might accomplish the mission of exploring the moon. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Dec. 4, 2006 Briefing Charts (1.2 MB PDF) http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/163896main_Exploration-LAT_Briefing_120406.pdf 18 Pages of the briefing charts. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- You might also enjoy looking at some of the videos in the multimedia section. - LRK - http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/multimedia/index.html Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Hope you can continue to use material from Koelle's website as we learn more about going back to the Moon. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/ Heinz-Hermann Koelle Snip * *Lunar Database Index* * 0. Basic Data * 1. Lunar Market * 2. Lunar Base Program * 3. Lunar Science * 4. Lunar Facilities * 5. Lunar Logistics * 6. Lunar Space Transportation Systems * 7. Lunar Cost And Benefits * 8. Blueprints For Program Alternatives Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/Moonbase/Kap3.pdf Snip Doc-L31 : LUNAR SCIENCE FIELDS 1. Definition of Fields One of the major objectives to return to the Moon and stay there is the science of the Moon, on the Moon and from the Moon.-Thus the scientific experiments and activities require detailed planning for each of the development phases anticipated for the lunar base. They will require resources in terms of development effort, transportation of equipment to the Moon and human labor on the Moon, as well as support of personnnel on the Earth. It is obvious that these lunar science activities can not commence at the same time, thus a priority list for each of the development phases has to ne developed and updated from time to time. Such a priority list can have only illustrative character at this time , but they are very useful at the beginning of the planning process. Representative priority lists are needed to derive relevant system oriented models of lunar development for futher analysis. The Lunar Exploration Science Working Group (LESWG) of NASA summarized in July 1992 (JSC-25920) the major themes of lunar science as follows: 1. Formation of the Earth-Moon System 2. Thermal and magnetic evolution of the Moon 3. Bombardment history of the Earth-Moon system and nature of impact process 4. Regolith formation and evolution of the Sun 5. Nature of lunar atmoshere 6. Planetary astronomy from the Moon. The importance of the Moon within an overall planetary science strategy is seen in the following characteristics: 1. The Moon has preserved its primordial crust and is arguably the preeminent location in the Solar system in which to study the evolution of a terrestrial planet immediately following accretion. 2.The Moon has retained a record of its near-post-accretional impact history. 3.The origin of the Moon is inextricably linked to the earliest evolution of the Earth. The first cycle of the deliberations of the IAA Subcommittee for Lunar Development identified 18 research fields,which are promising in the context of lunar science activities. These research fields are listet in the following table with an indication into which research package they might belong: Table 31-1 : Overview Lunar Science Flields Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Fri Dec 8 16:51:29 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Fri, 8 Dec 2006 13:51:29 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] "WHY EXPLORE SPACE?" - by Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger Message-ID: <000b01c71b13$068cae40$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> "WHY EXPLORE SPACE?" - by Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger David Brandt-Erichsen mentioned the following. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Snip Regarding "Why Space?", a good statement on this subject can be found here: http://www.meaus.com/whyExplore.html Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- If you check out the above link, you might also look at the home link as well. - LRK - Also, you will see that the article is by Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger. -------------------------------------------------------------- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Stuhlinger Ernst Stuhlinger >From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation, search Dr. Ernst Stuhlinger is an American atomic, electrical and rocket scientist born in Niederrimbach, Germany, on December 19, 1913. He earned his Ph.D. in physics at age 23, and in 1939 went to work for the German Atomic Energy Program. In 1943, he joined Dr. Wernher von Braun's team at the German village of Peenemuende, where he worked in the field of guidance systems. He was one of 126 scientists who immigrated to the United States with Dr. von Braun after World War II as part of Operation Paperclip. Stuhlinger was director of the space science lab at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, from 1960 to 1968, and then its associate director for science from 1968 to 1975, when he retired and became an adjunct professor and senior research scientist at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. In 1955, he became a naturalized United States citizen. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- AND, you will find his name mentioned in the following monograph. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://history.nasa.gov/monograph21.pdf Humans to Mars Fifty Years of Mission Planning 1950 - 2000 By David S. F. Portree -------------------------------------------------------------- Closer to the now - The shuttle was supposed to launch yesterday. Was watching the countdown on the Internet with my new cable modem facilitating the streaming video. http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html All for naught as the weather caused a scrub. Maybe tomorrow. - LRK - http://www.spaceflightnow.com/shuttle/sts116/061207scrub/ http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Hope you can continue to use material from Koelle's website as we learn more about going back to the Moon. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/ Heinz-Hermann Koelle Snip * *Lunar Database Index* * 0. Basic Data * 1. Lunar Market * 2. Lunar Base Program * 3. Lunar Science * 4. Lunar Facilities * 5. Lunar Logistics * 6. Lunar Space Transportation Systems * 7. Lunar Cost And Benefits * 8. Blueprints For Program Alternatives Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.ilr.tu-berlin.de/koelle/Moonbase/Kap4.pdf 4. LUNAR FACILITIES Table of Contents- 2pp (9 docs.,73 pp.,37tabs., 1 fig. 179 refs.) Snip Doc-L42 : LUNAR FACILITIES AND EQUIPMENT (LF) 42.1 Classification The functions listed in Doc-L41 can be carried out only with the help of facilities, equipment and people. The beginning of all identified functions has to be specified with respect to a particular point in the timeline, since this will determine development and delivery schedule as well as labor requirements for this specific facility or piece of equipment. The size of the facility or equipment will depend on the performance required. There will be an initial size at the beginning of the operation, a growth rate and a final size, determined by the maximum performance or throughput required during its lifetime. All of these variables will have to be specified for each scenario analysed. This is done best by the simulation of the entire life cycle of the respective base model under consideration. - In general, one has to expect the following types of facilities and equipment in a major lunar base: Snip ============================================================== http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/#0612 JPL Space Calendar Snip # Dec 06-08 - Workshop: Locating PeV Cosmic-Ray Accelerators - Future Detectors in Multi-TeV Gamma-Ray Astronomy, Adelaide, Australia # Dec 09 -Hot[Dec 08] STS-116 Launch, Space Shuttle Discovery, P5 Truss Segment, (International Space Station 12A.1) # Dec 07 - Comet C/2005 YW (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.993 AU) # Dec 07 - Asteroid 5648 (1990 VU1) Occults HIP 60957 (5.7 Magnitude Star) # Dec 07 - Lecture: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Spacecraft, Pasadena, California # Dec 07 -Updated[Dec 08] 5th Anniversary (2001), Jason/ TIMED Launch # Dec 08 -Updated[Dec 08] Wildblue 1/ AMC-18 Ariane 5 Launch # Dec 08 -Updated[Dec 04] Feng Yun 2-D CZ-3A Launch (China) # Dec 08 - Lecture: The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Spacecraft, Pasadena, California # Dec 08-10 - Workshop on Early Planetary Differentiation, Sonoma County, California # Dec 09 - Asteroid 4535 Adamcarolla Closest Approach To Earth (2.219 AU) Snip ============================================================== When you look up what do you see? -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nss.org/ (December 4, 2006) NSS announced the launch of the NSS Space Settlement Nexus, a public Internet portal that offers unlimited access to the most comprehensive collection of documents, studies and other resources concerning Space Settlement and related issues. Timed to coincide with NASA's release earlier today of the agency's Global Exploration Strategy and Lunar Architecture, the unveiling of the NSS Space Settlement Nexus (www.NSS.org/settlement) underscores the National Space Society's continued strong support for NASA's Vision for Space Exploration and the placement of Space Settlement at the center of NASA's long-term plans. Read Full Text Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nss.org/settlement/ Space Settlement Nexus An all-volunteer effort including over 8,000 pages of reference materials "The people of Earth have both the knowledge and resources to colonize space." That was the stated conclusion of this NASA-sponsored study - in 1975! There are two things you need to know about space settlement: * We can do it, starting now. * A future with space settlements is vastly better than one without them. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nss.org/settlement/moon/index.html Lunar Bases and Settlement Excerpt from speech of John Marburger Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President March 15, 2006 The Moon has unique significance for all space applications for a reason that to my amazement is hardly ever discussed in popular accounts of space policy. The Moon is the closest source of material that lies far up Earth's gravity well. Anything that can be made from Lunar material at costs comparable to Earth manufacture has an enormous overall cost advantage compared with objects lifted from Earth's surface. The greatest value of the Moon lies neither in science nor in exploration, but in its material. I am talking about the possibility of extracting elements and minerals that can be processed into fuel or massive components of space apparatus. The production of oxygen in particular, the major component (by mass) of chemical rocket fuel, is potentially an important Lunar industry. What are the preconditions for such an industry? That, it seems to me, must be a primary consideration of the long range planning for the Lunar agenda. Science studies provide the foundation for a materials production roadmap. Clever ideas have been advanced for the phased construction of electrical power sources - perhaps using solar cells manufactured in situ from Lunar soil. A not unreasonable scenario is a phase of highly subsidized capital construction followed by market-driven industrial activity to provide Lunar products such as oxygen refueling services for commercially valuable Earth-orbiting apparatus. Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Tue Dec 12 14:47:54 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 11:47:54 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Looking up - The 2006 Geminid Meteor Shower Message-ID: <002d01c71e26$6c8deea0$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Looking up - The 2006 Geminid Meteor Shower -------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Science News NASA Science News for December 12, 2006 The best meteor shower of the year peaks this week on Thursday, Dec. 14th. FULL STORY at http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/12dec_geminids.htm?list113887 Check out our RSS feed at http://science.nasa.gov/rss.xml ! Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Take a look at the orbit of Asteroid 3200 Phaethon (1983 TB) believed to be the source of the debris that Earth passes through for the Geminid Meteor Shower. You will see that it is quite a bit out of the ecliptic plain. Think there might be a time when the asteroid 3200 Phaethon (1983 TB) passes by Earth where the two orbits cross. That should make for quite a meteor show. http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name=Phaethon&group=all&search=Search Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== -------------------------------------------------------------- http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/12dec_geminids.htm?list113887 The 2006 Geminid Meteor Shower Dec. 12 , 2006: The best meteor shower of the year peaks this week on Dec. 14th. "It's the Geminid meteor shower," says Bill Cooke of NASA's Meteoroid Environment Office in Huntsville, Alabama. "Start watching on Wednesday evening, Dec. 13th, around 9 p.m. local time," he advises. "The display will start small but grow in intensity as the night wears on. By Thursday morning, Dec. 14th, people in dark, rural areas could see one or two meteors every minute." The source of the Geminids is a mysterious object named 3200 Phaethon. "No one can decide what it is," says Cooke. The mystery, properly told, begins in the 19th century: Before the mid-1800s there were no Geminids, or at least not enough to attract attention. The first Geminids appeared suddenly in 1862, surprising onlookers who saw dozens of meteors shoot out of the constellation Gemini. (That's how the shower gets its name, the Geminids.) Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- More to the story ... Geminid sky map -- from Spaceweather.com http://spaceweather.com/images2006/14dec06/skymap_north.gif 3200 Phaethon -- 3D orbit http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name=Phaethon&group=all&search=Search History of the Geminids http://comets.amsmeteors.org/meteors/showers/geminidhistory.html Geminid Photo Galleries: 2004, http://spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_13dec04.htm 2002, http://spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_14dec02.html 2001 http://spaceweather.com/meteors/gallery_13dec01.html The Vision for Space Exploration http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/exploration/main/index.html ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Tue Dec 12 23:29:56 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Tue, 12 Dec 2006 20:29:56 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] NASA plans to put a base on the moon by 2020 Message-ID: <007201c71e6f$5a3367f0$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> NASA plans to put a base on the moon by 2020 Not new, new, news, but want to keep the sound bytes in front of us in hopes that the idea will really catch on with others as well as you folks on this lunar-update list. I think it is alright to point and shout, look, look, see what they can do now in space. What do you think we could do if we were really living in space. (have been watching STS-116 http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ ) - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2006-12-04-nasa-moon-base_x.htm NASA plans to put a base on the moon by 2020 Updated 12/4/2006 10:00 PM ET By Traci Watson, USA TODAY WASHINGTON - NASA plans to surpass the Apollo missions by establishing a base on the moon that could lead to a permanent human presence on the lunar surface, space agency officials said Monday. For the first time since President Bush announced in 2004 that American astronauts would return to the moon, NASA has specified what it plans to do once there. No human has set foot on the moon since 1972. That final stay, the longest, lasted three days. Under the plans outlined Monday, human habitation of the moon would begin in 2020 with four-person crews that would stay for a week. Visits would lengthen until astronauts could live on the base for up to six months at a stretch. This could occur as early as 2024. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- One more link to that has more links to the news articles. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spacetoday.net/Summary/3581 NASA unveils lunar base plans Posted: Tue, Dec 5, 2006, 7:24 AM ET (1224 GMT) Lunar base illustration (NASA) NASA plans to develop a base near one of the poles of the Moon that will be permanently inhabited by 2024. The lunar exploration architecture, unveiled on Monday in Houston, calls for human missions to the Moon to begin by 2020, starting with one-week stays that eventually expand to half-year expeditions. NASA plans to gradually build up a base near one the poles, with the crater Shackleton near the south pole a leading candidate. Bases at those locations would enjoy near-constant sunlight and are also near permanently-shadowed regions that may harbor deposits of water ice. NASA also released Monday what it called the initial elements of a "Global Exploration Strategy" that explains why humans should go to the Moon and what people should do once they're there. The strategy was developed with the assistance of experts in a number of countries, although what roles, if any, those countries may play in the lunar architecture are uncertain. Related Links: * CBS News/Spaceflight Now article http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0612/04lunarbases/ * SPACE.com article http://space.com/news/061204_nasa_moon.html * New York Times article > requires subscription< * NASA SpaceFlight.com article http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/content/?cid=4936 * NASA press release http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2006/dec/HQ_06361_ESMD_Lunar_Architecture.ht ml < -------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for looking up with me. (have dropped SBC e-mail, use Gmail account) Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2006-12-04-nasa-moon-base_x.htm NASA plans to put a base on the moon by 2020 Updated 12/4/2006 10:00 PM ET By Traci Watson, USA TODAY WASHINGTON - NASA plans to surpass the Apollo missions by establishing a base on the moon that could lead to a permanent human presence on the lunar surface, space agency officials said Monday. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- IMAGE GALLERY: NASA's vision for the moon http://www.usatoday.com/tech/space/moon/flash.htm Sixteen images from Lockheed Martin Corp. - LRK - Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Thu Dec 14 19:42:28 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Thu, 14 Dec 2006 16:42:28 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] STS-116 - Great Viewing Message-ID: <000301c71fe1$e7fae270$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> STS-116 - Great Viewing Have been watching the STS-116 activities at the International Space Station on the web. Hope we get to see similar activities when we set up camp on the Moon. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/ WATCH NASA TV NOW http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/index.html MISSION NEWS -------------------------------------------------------------- If you want to build an orbiting city in the sky for say 10,000 inhabitants, will it be on the evening news or will the commercial firm doing the work have to put up their own web site to let us watch? - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html STS-116 Mission Specialists Robert Curbeam and Christer Fuglesang completed their scheduled electrical work and are now concentrating on other spacewalking tasks. Shortly after the start of the spacewalk at 2:41 p.m. EST, Curbeam and Fuglesang began STS-116's work to rearrange the International Space Station's power system from a temporary status to a permanent setup by rewiring two of the station's four power channels. Systems were powered up at 4:45 p.m. following the completion of the electrical work. The remaining two channels will be rewired during the mission's third spacewalk, slated for Saturday. The STS-116 crew is performing the electrical work to bring power generated by the P4 solar arrays on line for use by the station's systems and prepare for more arrays to be added next year. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- By the end of the Apollo missions going to the Moon was just a sound byte on the evening news. The ISS in LEO, going around Earth in 92 minutes is old hat. We have always been able to do that, right? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Space_Station We have always had cell phones too, right, color TV with plasma panels, right, radio with transistors, right? When will we be able to say we have always been living on the Moon and mining asteroids? Make it so. Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewsr.html?pid=22763 NASA STS-116 FD-4 Execute Package STATUS REPORT Date Released: Wednesday, December 13, 2006 Source: Johnson Space Center Good morning Joanie, Nick, and STS-116 & Increment 14 crews! Welcome to another day of transfer ops! We were fortunate enough yesterday to see you on downlink video already transferring items...you're looking good up there! We apologize for all the transfer list change pages today. You'll see new items and several changes to return locations due to Spacehab optimizing their return weight and c.g. This was done to accommodate potential return items when identified. Today you'll fill 2 PWRs in the Middeck, which will require you to retrieve them from Spacehab prior to the activity in the afternoon. You'll also need to pull 2 CWCs out of Spacehab to support the FD05 fills (because you have no transfer time scheduled prior to the first CWC fill tomorrow). Snip Download Report http://images.spaceref.com/news/2006/164700main_FD4-Xpack.pdf Snip ============================================================== http://mynasa.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/shuttlemissions/sts116/launch/a stro_webcast.html NASA DIRECT STS-116 Mission Webcast + View Replay of Webcast (Real) + View Replay of Webcast (Windows) + View question board Hosted by Space Shuttle Discovery Flow Director Stephanie Stilson, this webcast takes you behind the scenes as NASA prepares for mission STS-116 to the International Space Station. Learn more about the mission objectives and payloads as the astronauts continue the expansion of the orbiting outpost. Our guest astronaut, Richard M. Linnehan, answers questions about living and working in space. Linnehan flew on missions STS-78, STS-90 and STS-109, logging over 43 days in space and conducting three spacewalks totaling more than 21 hours. During the webcast, you'll also get insight about what the astronauts eat while in orbit and how their food is prepared here on Earth. Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Fri Dec 15 18:58:51 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:58:51 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Dec 15 - Asteroid 2006 US216 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) - Missed Us - for now Message-ID: <000701c720a4$fc58c570$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Dec 15 - Asteroid 2006 US216 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) - Missed Us - for now Go ahead, thumb your nose, nah, nah, you missed me, THIS TIME! - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/Astro/flybys.cgi?page=detail&object=2006+US 216&when=2006-12-15%26nbsp;07:11:00 Tom's Asteroid Flybys - 2006 US216 @ 2006-12-15 07:11:00 Minimum Distance (A.U.) 0.06727 Date/Time of Minimum Distance 2006-12-15 07:11:00 Maximum Predicted Brightness 18 Date/Time of Maximum Brightness 2006-12-13 00:00:00 Maximum Apparent Speed (arcseconds/minute) 15.15 Date/Time of Maximum Speed 2006-12-15 03:00:00 H (Absolute Magnitude) 19.9 Oppositions 1 Duration of Observations 30 days Potentially Hazardous Asteroid? Yes The following plot shows the path of the asteroid during a five-day period which includes the time of closest approach. The plot begins at midnight Universal Time, two days before the closest approach. This path is approximate, and was generated for Cambridge, Massachusetts. Other locations will see slightly different paths, especially if it is a very close approach. The path is represented by a bright green line (in many cases it's a very short line, but it's there). Blue tick marks indicate midnight Universal Time, and run along the right side of the path, hence also indicating direction. On the left side of the path, are a red tick mark denoting minimum distance (bug fix needed), a white tick mark indicating maximum brightness, and a green tick mark indicating maximum speed. Snip [Nice plot - see web site - LRK -] -------------------------------------------------------------- Take a look at the JPL link below as well. It is a nice, small, orbit, pretty much in the ecliptic plain, and it will be back 2007/12/07 at about 0.052 AU. - LRK - http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=2006+US216 And here as well. - LRK - http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2006US216;main Thanks for looking up with me. (I know, you are all running for shelter, I only see 872 of you.) Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Checking the JPL Calendar periodically can give you a hint as to what might be dropping in or remind us of what we have launched nearby. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/calendar/ # # Dec 15 -Hot[Dec 12] STEREO A & B, 1st Moon Flyby http://stereo.jhuapl.edu/ http://stereo.jhuapl.edu/mission/statusArchives/statusCurrent.php # Dec 15 - ETS VIII H-2A Launch (Japan) # Dec 15 -Updated[Dec 13] Roadrunner (TacSat 2)/ Genesat 1 Minotaur 1 Launch # Dec 15 -Updated[Dec 09] Cassini, Orbital Trim Maneuver #83 (OTM-83) # Dec 15 - Comet P/2000 R2 (LINEAR) Perihelion (1.456 AU) # Dec 15 - Asteroid 11875 (1989 YG5) Occults HIP 33595 (6.2 Magnitude Star) # Dec 15 - Asteroid 2006 US216 Near-Earth Flyby (0.067 AU) http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db_shm?des=2006+US216 # Dec 15 - 40th Anniversary (1966), Audouin Dollfus' Discovery of Saturn Moon Janus Snip ============================================================== http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/Dangerous.html List Of The Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) Information on converting absolute magnitudes to diameters is available, as is an explanation of the quantities given in the listings above. A list of close approaches to the earth through the end of the 21st century is available. Snip ============================================================== http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2006US216;main 2006US216 Services: * Ephemerides http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2006US216;ephpred * Observation Prediction http://newton.dm.unipi.it/cgi-bin/neodys/neoibo?objects:2006US216;obspred Orbital Information: Snip Close Approaches (from 1950 to 2100): Snip Snip ============================================================== http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/lists/PHACloseApp.html PHA Close Approaches To The Earth The following table lists the predicted encounters by Potentially Hazardous Asteroids (PHAs) to within 0.05 AU of the earth from the start of this year through 2178. Objects with very uncertain orbits are excluded from this listing, as are recently discovered objects whose orbits have been computed without consideration of planetary perturbations. The distances quoted are from the nominal orbit solutions in the cited references and can be quite uncertain, particularly for one-opposition objects. Perturbed orbital solutions consider perturbations by eight major planets (Mercury to Neptune), three minor planets (Ceres, Pallas and Vesta) and treat the earth and the moon as separate perturbing bodies. For comparison, the mean distance of the moon is 0.0026 AU = 384400 km = 238900 miles. (1 AU is approximately the mean distance of the earth from the sun = 149597870 km = 92955810 miles.) Snip Object (and name) Date of encounter (TT) Distance Orbit arc Reference Object (and name) 2006 US216 2466115.52 2039 Nov. 23.02 0.04466 1-opposition, arc = 30 days E2006-WB4 2006 US216 Snip ============================================================== http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/lists/CloseApp.html Forthcoming Close Approaches To The Earth The following table lists the predicted minor-planet and comet encounters to within 0.2 AU of the earth during the next 33 years (from the start of this year). Objects with very uncertain orbits are excluded from this listing, as are recently-discovered objects whose orbits have been computed without consideration of planetary perturbations. The distances quoted are from the nominal orbit solutions in the cited references and can be quite uncertain, particularly for one-opposition objects. Perturbed orbital solutions consider perturbations by eight major planets (Mercury to Neptune), three minor planets (Ceres, Pallas and Vesta) and treat the earth and the moon as separate perturbing bodies. Also available is a list of PHA close-encounters from the start of this year through the end of 2178 and a list of earth-approaches within 0.2 AU over the period 1900-2178. Please read our Web policy document. Snip Object (and name) Date of encounter (TT) Distance JD Calendar (AU) Orbit arc Reference Object (and name) 2006 US216 2454084.89 2006 Dec. 15.39 0.06727 1-opposition, arc = 30 days E2006-WB4 2006 US216 ============================================================== http://hea-www.harvard.edu/~fine/Astro/flybys.cgi Tom's Asteroid Flybys Webpage This is a list of upcoming asteroid flybys (close approaches). This table is based on information from the Minor Planet Center. Here's a brief description of some of the columns: # Distance is in Astronomical Units; for reference the moon is 0.0025 A.U. from the earth. # V is visual magnitude, or brightness. Smaller is brighter. # Speed how faster the asteroid appears to move through the sky, measured in arcseconds per minute. # H is absolute magnitude, sort of related to how big it is (smaller is brighter/bigger). # PHA is Potentially Hazardous Asteroid. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it sounds. Object Name When Distance V When V Speed When Speed H Opps Observation PHA Added Updated 2006 US216 2006-12-15 07:11:00 0.06727 18 2006-12-13 00:00:00 15.15 2006-12-15 03:00:00 19.9 1 30 days Yes 2006-11-03 2006-12-03 ============================================================== Interesting web site from an AMIGA Computer enthusiast - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/blobrana/nmonth/index.html December 2006 Astronomy Calendar http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/blobrana/index.html Amiga the best OS in the World http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/blobrana/news/index.html Astronomy News at Blobrana Online Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Sun Dec 17 15:15:32 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Sun, 17 Dec 2006 12:15:32 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) - yr 2029 will be visible to the unaided eye - Message-ID: <000101c72218$1cadcc20$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) - yr 2029 will be visible to the unaided eye. Ron Wells sent me a note about Apophis (see below) which points out that there are asteroids of INTERIST. Whether I will be around in 2029 to look up remains to be seen, but the kids and grandkids will be. It would be nice if we could learn to get a HANDLE on these asteroids and turn them into a resource rather than a threat. The one you don't know about could possibly level more than the World Trade Center. Wouldn't it be nice if the folks on spaceship Earth would work together rather than raising a fuss in their cubical? -------------------------------------------------------------- http://echo.jpl.nasa.gov/~ostro/mn4/index.html Radar Refinement of the Orbit of Asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) [See image at web site. - LRK -] The several-hundred-meter asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) was discovered in June 2004 and lost until it was rediscovered in December 2004. Integration of the orbit calculated from the half-year-long set of optical astrometry revealed an extremely close approach to Earth on April 13, 2029. Arecibo delay-Doppler radar astrometry obtained during the last week in January 2005 showed the object to be several hundred kilometers closer than had been predicted by the optical position measurements. This correction refined our estimate of the orbit and predicted a 2029 approach to the geocenter at a distance of: 0.000242 +/- 0.000058 AU 36200 +/- 8700 km 0.094 +/- 0.023 Earth-Moon distances 5.7 +/- 1.4 Earth radii This is 28,000 km closer than predicted by the pre-radar (optical-only) orbit and closer than geosynchronous satellites. The asteroid's 2029 flyby is closer than any known past or future approach by natural objects larger than about 10 meters (other than objects that have entered Earth's atmosphere). 2004 MN4 is expected to reach 3rd magnitude for observers in Europe, Africa, and western Asia, where it will be visible to the unaided eye. Approaches as close as the 2029 event, by objects as large as 2004 MN4, are very rare, occurring on average at intervals longer than a thousand years. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- (other than objects that have entered Earth's atmosphere). Hmmmmmm. That sort of says it all. Repeat after me, other than objects that have entered the Earth's atmosphere. What was it the Dinosaurs said, wow, that was the closest we have seen, I wonder when one will enter the atmosphere? Thanks for looking up with me. (more eyes might help - and you said reduce funding for Arecibo?!!!) http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/11/06/1143242 http://ksulib.typepad.com/talking/2006/12/save_arecibo.html http://www.naic.edu/~astro/NSFSR/NAIC_implementation.html http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,234843,00.html?sPage=fnc.science/space http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1501AP_Puerto_Rico_Observatory_Cuts.h tml Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsltr.: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Thanks for this info Ron. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- > This current asteroid miss is nothing remarkable! The one to watch out for is still 2004MN4 now called Apophis! (Interesting name for it, given that Apophis is the Egyptian demon that will eat a person's heart should it not balance exactly the Ma'at feather of truthfulness, righteousness and well being on the weighing scales!). It was thought to be a high probable impactor in April, 2029. But enough critical observations have been obtained, especially by radar, to be precise with its miss distance. On April 13.9, 2029 it will fly by the Earth at an altitude of 23,566 miles! That is within the geosynchronous orbital distance! Assuming no perturbations between now and then. It is roughly a half km in diameter. Why not develop rockets to attach to it just before it gets here and brake it into Earth orbit as a second moon? It should be thoroughly studied mineralogically. It might be worth capturing from a mining point of view. Snip ============================================================== http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis 99942 Apophis >From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (99942) Apophis (previously known by its provisional designation 2004 MN4) is a near-Earth asteroid that caused a brief period of concern in December 2004 because initial observations indicated a relatively large probability that it would strike the Earth in 2029. However, additional observations provided improved predictions that eliminated the possibility of an impact on Earth or the Moon in 2029. However there remained a possibility that during the 2029 close encounter with Earth, Apophis would pass through a "gravitational keyhole", a precise region in space no more than about 400 meters across, that would set up a future impact on April 13, 2036. This possibility kept the asteroid at Level 1 on the Torino impact hazard scale until August 2006. Additional observations of the trajectory of Apophis revealed the "keyhole" would likely be missed and on August 5, 2006, Apophis was lowered to a Level 0 Torino impact hazard scale. As of October 19, 2006 the impact probability for April 13, 2036 is estimated at 1 in 45,000. An additional impact date in 2037 has been identified, however the impact probability for that encounter is 1 in 12.3 million. Snip ============================================================== http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=3434 Asteroid Apophis set for a makeover Astronomers name the asteroid that will sweep past Earth in 2029 and suggest how Earth's gravity may alter the space rock. Bill Cooke August 18, 2005 Last month was significant for the asteroid formerly known as 2004 MN4. On July 19, it lost its provisional designation and acquired its permanent number and name. The number, 99942, is the largest yet assigned to an asteroid. The name, which will delight Egyptologists and science-fiction fans alike, is Apophis. Between July 9 and 11, astronomers Dave Tholen, Fabrizio Bernardi, and Roy Tucker took what are likely the last optical images of the asteroid before 2007. They used the 90-inch Bok Telescope at Kitt Peak National Observatory in Arizona. The same team discovered the asteroid last June. On April 13, 2029, Apophis will pass 22,600 miles (36,350 kilometers) from Earth - so close it skirts the belt of orbiting geosynchronous satellites and will be visible to the unaided eye as a moving, magnitude 3.3, starlike point. Astronomers estimate the space rock is 1,050 feet (320 meters) across and has a striking power equivalent 850 million tons of TNT, or more than 4 times the energy released when the Indonesian volcano Krakatoa erupted in 1883. Snip ============================================================== http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/risk/a99942.html 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) Earth Impact Risk Summary Analysis based on 2 radar delay, 5 Doppler, and 731 optical observations spanning 884.52 days (2004-Mar-15.10789 to 2006-Aug-16.626954) Torino Scale (maximum) 0 Palermo Scale (maximum) -2.52 Palermo Scale (cumulative) -2.52 Impact Probability (cumulative) 2.2e-05 Number of Potential Impacts 2 Vimpact 12.59 km/s Vinfinity 5.87 km/s H 19.7 Diameter 0.250 km Mass 2.1e+10 kg Energy 4.0e+02 MT all above are mean values weighted by impact probability Snip ============================================================== http://neo.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/db?name=99942 Asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4) Orbit - where now - - LRK - Snip ============================================================== http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9871982/ NASA sets schedule for handling asteroid threat Letter suggests probe in 2019 and deflector by 2028 ... if needed By Alan Boyle Science editor MSNBC Updated: 11:04 a.m. PT Oct 31, 2005 NASA has outlined what it could do, and in what time frame, in case a quarter-mile-wide asteroid named Apophis is on a course to slam into Earth in the year 2036. The timetable was released by the B612 Foundation, a group that is pressing NASA and other government agencies to do more to head off threats from near-Earth objects. The plan runs like this: Eight years from now, if there's still a chance of a collision in 2036, NASA would start drawing up plans to put a probe on the space rock or in orbit around it in 2019. Measurements sent back from the probe would characterize Apophis' course to an accuracy of mere yards (meters) by the year 2020. If those readings still could not rule out a strike in 2036, NASA would try to deflect the asteroid into a non-threatening course in the 2024-2028 time frame by firing an impactor at it - using this year's Deep Impact comet-blasting probe as a model. Experts would start planning for the "Son of Deep Impact" mission even before they knew whether or not it was needed. Snip ============================================================== http://www.b612foundation.org/press/press.html News by and about B612 News by B612 14. White papers and presentations submitted by B612 members at the NASA NEO Workshop held in Vail, Colorado, 26-28 June, 2006. This workshop was organized by NASA in response to the congressional requirement that it be provided an initial report on its progress in implementation of the George E. Brown Jr. Near-Earth Object Survey (see Subtitle C, Section 321, (d)(4)). Snip 1. Asteroid Apophis and the B612 exchange with NASA * NASA Ames, 7/22/2005 http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/news_detail.cfm?ID=161 * Christian Science Monitor, 7/26/2005 http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0726/p01s04-stss.html * Time Online, 8/13/2005 http://www.time.com/time/columnist/jaroff/article/0,9565,1093624,00.html * SpaceRef.Com, 10/28/2005 http://www.spaceref.com/news/viewpr.html?pid=18138 * Astromart, 10/29/2005 http://www.astromart.com/news/default.asp * NASA Ames, 10/31/2005 http://impact.arc.nasa.gov/news_detail.cfm?ID=165 * Space Daily, 10/31/2005 http://www.spacedaily.com/news/asteroid-05v.html * MSNBC, 10/31/2005 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9871982/ * The Register (UK), 10/31/2005 http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/31/nasa_has_a_plan/ * New Scientist - Space, 11/1/2005 http://space.newscientist.com/channel/solar-system/dn8245-nasa-decline-to-de flect-asteroid--for-now.html * MSNBC, 11/1/2005 http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9890268 * San Gabriel Valley Tribune, 11/2005 [no longer available - LRK -] * CNN.Com, 11/7/2005 [page not found - LRK -] Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg at gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Tue Dec 19 15:28:44 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2006 12:28:44 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Does the lunar surface still offer value as a site for astronomical observatories? Message-ID: <000c01c723ac$4cb64830$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Does the lunar surface still offer value as a site for astronomical observatories? Dan Lasley sent me the following note. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Larry, >From a recent Morning Edition: the publisher Elsevier is making available for free all Elsevier publications by Nobel Laureates for the past three years. See http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/intro.cws_home/2005nobelprizes . If you click on "Read Elsevier publications by John C. Mather", I think you'll be interested in this link: http://www.elsevier.com/framework_aboutus/pdfs/mather7.pdf There is at least one other space related .pdf in there somewhere. Happy hunting. Merry Christmas and the best 2007 ever to you and yours. Dan -------------------------------------------------------------- Reading about the Nobel Laureates is interesting. The link to the article that John C. Mather contributed to may be even more appropriate for this list. Dan was right, most interesting. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Does the lunar surface still offer value as a site for astronomical observatories? http://www.elsevier.com/framework_aboutus/pdfs/mather7.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------- I will copy the abstract and the summary below although I think you will have much to think about if you read the whole 9 page article. - LRK - Things have changed in 30 years since the Apollo missions ended. We might not have had the free flying astronomical observatories that we do today had we continued with lunar base development but we do now. Where do you want to put your dollars to get the most value? Watch the politics play out. Whose camp are you in? Can I have my cake and eat it too? Want the best of all worlds? Have unlimited funds? Know someone in power? I want to go to the Moon, find me a reason. Hmmmmm I want to look at the stars, find me a way to do it. What might you see if you look up? http://www.nss.org/settlement/ And this from Larry Klaes. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- WHEN THE ISS MEETS SATURN: On Dec. 7th, the International Space Station (ISS) flew over Beijing, China--and right by the planet Saturn. Three astronomers, Xiang Zhan, Xin Li and Jin Zhu of the Beijing Planetarium, photographed the encounter through a 4-inch telescope. "Although the two objects looked so close," says Zhan, "the ISS was about 400 kilometers above us while Saturn was over 1.3 billion kilometers from Earth." Their video illustrates something not widely known: The ISS looks wonderful through a backyard telescope. Solar wings and living quarters are clear and distinct. Seen from Earth, the station is wider than the rings of Saturn! http://www.spaceweather.com/swpod2006/19dec06/Zhan1.gif -------------------------------------------------------------- And Happy Birthday Arthur C. Clarke, December 16, 1917 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_C._Clarke http://www.clarkefoundation.org/ http://www.clarkefoundation.org/acc/biography.php - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Birthday card sent by Jeroen Lapre', December 16, 2006 http://www.distant-galaxy.com/maelstrom2/MaelstromIIClarkeBday.2k6.jpg http://www.maelstrom2themovie.com/ http://home.comcast.net/~jeroen-lapre/ArthurCClarke/MaelstromII/MaelstromII. html -------------------------------------------------------------- Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Thanks for the link Dan. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.elsevier.com/framework_aboutus/pdfs/mather7.pdf Does the lunar surface still offer value as a site for astronomical observatories? Daniel F. Lester a,*, Harold W. Yorke b, John C. Mather c a Department of Astronomy and McDonald Observatory, University of Texas, Austin, TX 78712, USA b Division of Earth and Space Science, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA c Lab for Astronomy and Solar Physics, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA Abstract Current thinking about the Moon as a destination has revitalized interest in lunar astronomical observatories. Once seen by a large scientific community as a highly enabling site, the dramatic improvement in capabilities for free-space observatories prompts reevaluation of this interest. Whereas the lunar surface offers huge performance advantages for astronomy over terrestrial sites, freespace locales such as Earth orbit or Lagrange points offer performance that is superior to what could be achieved on the Moon. While astronomy from the Moon may be cost-effective once infrastructure is there, it is in many respects no longer clearly enabling compared with free space. r 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Snip 4. Summary Three decades ago the USA abandoned the Moon, a decision that, from a national space policy standpoint, remains highly controversial. The technological capabilities that could have encouraged subsequent astronomical operations on the Moon were never developed. Since then, several countries have methodically, strategically and aggressively developed capabilities for deploying and operating telescopes in free space, and made huge strides in zero-g human operations. In the same way that lunar-based astronomy appeared decades ago, even in hindsight, to have the programmatic advantage, operations in free space do so now. We can now point to ambitious tasks that we have accomplished in free space, expertise that we now control, and extrapolate to the future there with some confidence. Had the decision about our continued presence on the Moon been different, much of our current free-space expertise might never have developed to its present level of sophistication and lunar-based astronomy might now be more programmatically attractive. When we actually return to the surface of the Moon, constructing bases that are continually occupied, offering infrastructure, transportation, ready service for investments there, and possibly material resources, this conclusion may be revised. In this respect, consideration needs to be given to what critical mass of lunar habitants is necessary to even suggest construction, maintenance and operation of a lunar telescope. But we contend that from the point of view of observatory science priorities, free-space offers important things that the lunar surface does not. Lowman [7] concludes that "the greatest obstacle to Moon-based astronomy as a contender for available funding probably lies in its position between two now well established fields: ground-based and [free] spacebased astronomy". We concur, but would add that in order to succeed, lunar astronomy advocates should present a compelling argument in which science gain, risk avoidance (both science and personnel), and overall cost (which may well include programmatic value that is long-range, as well as mission-specific) have clear advantages over observatories in free space. It is by these measures that the value of lunar based astronomy should be assessed. Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg AT gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Thu Dec 21 22:47:37 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2006 19:47:37 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] LUNAR BASE DESIGNS Message-ID: <000001c7257b$ee6f86c0$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> LUNAR BASE DESIGNS "We can be sure that those who come after us will think of much better ways of doing these things - and will wonder at our conservatism and our quaint, old-fashioned ideas. And they in their turn will be laughed at by those who come after them, when the Moon is only a suburb of the Earth, and the real frontier is far away among the planets. . ." -Arthur C. Clarke At JSC - High School Aerospace Scholars - http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/ http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/cirr/em/6/default.cfm http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/cirr/em/6/1.cfm -------------------------------------------------------------- http://aerospacescholars.jsc.nasa.gov/HAS/cirr/em/6/8.cfm What will the first lunar base actually look like? No one knows yet, but many have been designed. In the 1950's and 1960's, many designs were put forth by scientists and engineers who hoped that by the next century a lunar base would be fully operational. In 1992, the FLO design, the First Lunar Outpost reference, mission was developed (and rejected) by NASA. Igloos, railroads, buses, ecospheres, and domes, have all been proposed. Inflatable structures, underground structures, structures at the South Pole, and space ports at lunar libration points have all been designed. Hotels, laboratories, observatories, sports arenas, as well as mining and manufacturing plants are all very real possibilities. What would a lunar base that you designed look like? What types of power will be used on the moon? Solar? Nuclear? Fission reactors? Fusion reactors? Lasar beamed electricity? What kinds of fuel will be developed for rockets making the journey? Aluminum? Oxygen? Hydrogen? Solar sails? Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Russian Space Web - News and History in the Former USSR http://www.russianspaceweb.com/index.html and what is listed about lunar base proposals. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.russianspaceweb.com/lunar_base.html In the 1960s, the Moon Race between the United States and the Soviet Union made many scientists in both countries believe that human colonization of the Moon was at hand. Lunar bases became a frequent subject for the popular press and sci-fi novels; however, the space community also started looking at the problem seriously. Advocates of lunar settlements believed that a permanent outpost on the Moon would allow extensive exploration of the Earth's natural satellite for future mining of its resources, for the use of its surface as a platform for astronomy research and as a "proving ground" for further planetary exploration. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Maurizio Morabito was not pleased with the analysis of the authors on the last post. He has some good suggestions for use of Lunar Bases. Read his rant below. Appreciate the thoughts. - LRK - Before we mentioned the Asteroid 99942 Apophis (2004 MN4)near approach in 2029 and possible collision with Earth in 2036. Larry Klaes passed a link to a competition to design a mission to tag the asteroid. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Design an asteroid tag, win $50,000 A competition to design a 'tagging' mission to mark and track an asteroid in danger of hitting the Earth in 2036 was announced this week in the USA. http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/925 -------------------------------------------------------------- Also at the Planetary Society web site. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/apophis_competition/ Snip The Planetary Society is conducting a competition to design a mission to rendezvous with and "tag" a near-Earth asteroid such as Apophis. The competition is being conducted in cooperation with the European Space Agency (ESA), NASA, the Association of Space Explorers (ASE), the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and the Universities Space Research Association (USRA). Findings of the competition will be presented at relevant conferences, and winning entries will be shared with space agencies directly, including those actively cooperating in this competition. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Copied a larger snip below. - LRK - Hope we have continued support for going back to the Moon. It is going to take some time, so every administration will count. Put those politicians in office that think as you do. - LRK - Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Thanks for the rant Maurizio. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Larry I find these discussions more than self-defeating. Where else in the Universe can we place a radiotelescope permanently shielded from terrestrial interference by hundreds of kilometers of rock, but on the opposite side of the Moon? Do those people understand there is virtually no astronomical observation at all in the low-frequency radio bands? What are _their_ plans for neutrino astronomy in the 1GeV-10TeV energy band? Both are ideas that become feasible in the Lunar environment And do they really believe it is easy and inexpensive to place a set of free-flying observatories at the precise distances necessary for interferometry? LISA is at least 10 years away, if not more Do I need to continue? Where else can we easily excavate regolith that contains the recording of billions of years of solar activity, in the form of isotopes embedded in the soil? If there is any place where the solar rays never illuminate, how much of the history of the galaxy are we going to be able to read simply by analyzing the composition of its terrain? What other marvels serendipitously wait for us to go beyond timidity and explore the ONE astronomical thing that is not millions of miles away? Stuff such as Lester/Yorke/Mather's reminds me of the definition of stupidity: to damage somebody else without gaining a thing for yourself (sorry for the rant and merry Christmas!) regards maurizio Snip ============================================================== http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/node/925 Design an asteroid tag, win $50,000 Thursday, 14 December 2006 Cosmos Online SYDNEY: A competition to design a 'tagging' mission to mark and track an asteroid in danger of hitting the Earth in 2036 was announced this week in the USA. This week at the autumn meeting of the American Geophysical Union, The Planetary Society - a U.S. non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing space research - announced the launch of their Apophis Mission Design Competition, which invites participants to submit designs for a mission to rendezvous with and 'tag' a potentially dangerous near-Earth asteroid. The organisation believes that tagging may be necessary to track an asteroid accurately enough to determine whether it will impact Earth, and thus help facilitate the decision whether to mount a deflection mission to alter its orbit. The Society is offering US$50,000 in prize money for the competition. Apophis is an approximately 400-metre 'near-Earth object' (NEO), which will come closer than 36,000 km to Earth in 2029 - inside the the orbit of many satellites. On that pass, the asteroid will be gravitationally perturbed to an unknown orbit, one that could cause it to hit Earth in 2036. "While the odds are very slim that this particular asteroid will hit Earth in 30 years, they are not zero, and Apophis and other NEOs represent threats that need to be addressed," said Rusty Schweickart, Apollo astronaut, and head of the Association for Space Explorers NEO committee. Bruce Betts, The Planetary Society's Director of Projects said, "With this competition, we hope not only to generate creative thinking about tagging Apophis, but also to stimulate greater awareness of the broader near-Earth object threat." Snip http://www.planetary.org/home/ http://www.planetary.org/programs/projects/apophis_competition/ ============================================================== Thanks for the Pioneer Anomaly info Larry Klaes. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Astrophysics, abstract astro-ph/0612567 From: John Hodge [view email] Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 00:54:25 GMT (32kb) Scalar potential model of the Pioneer Anomaly Authors: John C. Hodge The unexplained sunward acceleration $a_\mathrm{P}$ of the Pioneer 10 (P10) and the Pioneer 11 (P11) spacecraft remains a mystery. A scalar potential model (SPM) that derived from considerations of galaxy clusters, of redshift, and of H{\scriptsize{I}} rotation curves of spiral galaxies is applied to the Pioneer Anomaly. Matter is posited to warp the scalar potential $\rho$ field. The gradient of the $\rho$ field produces a force on matter and light. The changing $\rho$ along the light path causes the Pioneer Anomaly. The SPM is consistent with the general value of $a_\mathrm{P}$, with the annual periodicity, with the differing $a_\mathrm{P}$ between the spacecraft, with the slowly declining $a_\mathrm{P}$, with the low value of $a_\mathrm{P}$ immediately before the P11's Saturn encounter, with the high uncertainty in the value of $a_\mathrm{P}$ obtained during and after the P11's Saturn encounter, and with the cosmological connection suggested by $a_\mathrm{P} \approx cH_\mathrm{o}$. The effect of the $\rho$ field warp appears as the curvature of space proposed by general relativity. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0612567 Astrophysics, abstract astro-ph/0612599 From: Mike McCulloch [view email] Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2006 17:57:45 GMT (19kb) Modelling the Pioneer anomaly as modified inertia Authors: M.E. McCulloch Comments: 15 pages, 2 bw figures, accepted by MNRAS 19th December 2006 This paper proposes an explanation for the Pioneer anomaly: an unexplained Sunward acceleration of 8.74 +/- 1.33 x 10^-10 m s^-2 seen in the behaviour of the Pioneer probes. Two hypotheses are made: (1) Inertia is a reaction to Unruh radiation and (2) this reaction is weaker for low accelerations because some wavelengths in the Unruh spectrum do not fit within a limiting scale (twice the Hubble distance) and are disallowed: a process similar to the Casimir effect. When these ideas are used to model the Pioneer crafts' trajectories there is a slight reduction in their inertial mass, causing an anomalous Sunward acceleration of 6.9 +/- 3.5 x 10^-10 m s^-2 which agrees within error bars with the observed Pioneer anomaly beyond 10 AU from the Sun. This new scheme is appealingly simple and does not require adjustable parameters. However, it also predicts an anomaly within 10 AU of the Sun, which has not been observed. Various observational tests for the idea are proposed. http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0612599 Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg AT gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Mon Dec 25 18:25:30 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Mon, 25 Dec 2006 15:25:30 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Google Images - Lunar Base Message-ID: <000001c7287b$fab087b0$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Google Images - Lunar Base Happy Holidays and thanks to you all for looking up with me this past year. I was doing some Google searches on the web for images of Lunar Bases and Google suggested that if I was looking for images I should try http://images.google.com/ That option shows up on the main Google page but I hadn't thought about trying all those other options that are there. [Web Images Video News Maps more ?] http://www.google.com/ We have come so far with the use of the Internet in the last ten years, and I sometimes forget and see myself back at Ames before a cable was connected to my Mac Quadra 950. Once just an island, then a portal into cyber world using Mosaic. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mosaic_%28web_browser%29 http://www.totic.org/nscp/demodoc/demo.html Having took Google's advice, I used the key words, [lunar base] and got return result of 2,200 images. Try it. You can then select an image which will bring up a new page where you can look at the original image and the web site where it was found. The very first image I see is one for a Lunar Base Overview - Assembled. It is at ares.jsc.nasa.gov and one you have probably seen. - LRK - http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Exploration/EXLibrary/images/Pics/LUNO X/07Base.gif -------------------------------------------------------------- http://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/HumanExplore/Exploration/EXLibrary/images/LUNOX.htm LUNOX Scenario Concept Images The following images were produced for NASA by John Frassanito and Associates based on technical concept studies from NASA's Planetary Missions and Materials Office, Johnson Space Center. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- You can be more selective, like say [lunar base plans] and get a match for 49 images. http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lunar+base+plans&btnG=S earch One of those on the very top row is one I have seen before. It is on the inside cover of a four volume set of NASA SP-509 that has been scanned and was posted first at Ames and Belmont k-12 school. -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/SpaceSettlement/spacersource84/prefa ce.html http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/SpaceSettlement/ -------------------------------------------------------------- Having helped scan one of the volumes, I wondered if Google knew that I had that same picture on my web site, so I used [lunar base Kellogg] in the Google Images and look what it found. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lunar+base+kellogg&btnG =Search LarryKelloggReports-top 420 x 547 pixels - 162k - gif http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/reports.html http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/images/LunarBase1-420.gif lkellogg.vttoth.com Exploring the Apollo Landing Sites 420 x 556 pixels - 179k - gif lkellogg.vttoth.com http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/reports.html http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/images/LunarBase2-420.gif -------------------------------------------------------------- What I was trying to do was to see what others had done to portray our going back to the Moon and see whether I might make something like them in a 3D modeling program. Thought you might enjoy seeing what others have already done. - LRK - Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== Results 1 - 20 of about 2,200 for lunar base. (0.16 seconds)- LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Key words: lunar base http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&client=firefox-a&rls=org. mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&q=lunar+base+&btnG=Search Snip ============================================================== http://images.google.com/ The most comprehensive image search on the web. Snip - Thanks Google - LRK - ============================================================== http://images.google.com/images?svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&q=lunar+settlement&btnG=S earch Lunar Settlement Results 1 - 20 of about 228 for lunar settlement. (0.21 seconds) Snip ============================================================== http://www.binisystems.com/index.html Extreme Architectural Engineering: Construction Automation by Dante N Bini This web site deals with research and development in the use of automation in constructing building structures for a variety of purposes. The applications range from affordable housing, schools and shopping centers, etc., built in different countries of the world, to conceptual cities' infrastructures to be built from the sea floor or in deserts. Extra terrestrial projects where construction automation using applied physics and robotics are also envisioned and described herein. This site contains: 1. An introduction to BiniSystems technology In 1964 Dante N Bini built the first hemispherical thin shell structure by pneumatically and automatically lifting all the necessary construction materials, which were distributed horizontally over a pneumatic form anchored to a circular ring beam, from ground level into an hemispherical dome. After the initial ground preparation was finished, that concrete thin shell structure was built in 60 minutes. a. Construction Automation. This paper details the concepts behind the Binisystems construction methodology. http://www.binisystems.com/ca.html b. A sequence of 70 slides as presented by Dante Bini at Stanford University in his course on Construction Automation. The sequence starts by illustrating the pioneering work done by Felix Candela, Hans Isler, Buckminster Fuller and Frei Otto. Those four Masters inspired the work done by Dante Bini who applied construction automation in the field of thin shell and tension structures, and geodesic domes. http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_01-09.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_10-19.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_20-29.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_30-39.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_40-49.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_50-59.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_60-69.html http://www.binisystems.com/ca_slides/slides_70-79.html c. "La Reversabilit? del Costruire" (in Italian) Talk delivered to the Round Table "The Reversability of Construction", 26 January 2001, in Firenze, Italy. http://www.binisystems.com/reversibilita.html Snip ============================================================== Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg AT gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Tue Dec 26 16:29:26 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Tue, 26 Dec 2006 13:29:26 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] CONSTELLATION - EXPLORING THE MOON - ORION Message-ID: <000e01c72934$ed86ef70$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> CONSTELLATION - EXPLORING THE MOON - ORION http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html The New Year is almost here and it will be awhile before we land on the Moon again. The problem with long range plans is that you need to keep an image of the goal in front of you as you take the necessary steps to get there. At the NASA link above there is a link at the upper right had corner of the page where you can view an animation for exploring the Moon. Take a look at it. If you select the image of the rover on the Moon it will use a Java Script to open LunarSurface_Prog.mov. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- javascript:watchNASAOnDemandTV('http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/anon.n asa-global/CEV/LunarSurface_Prog.mov') -------------------------------------------------------------- If you have the bandwidth and would like to download the content, you can also go to the NEWS & MEDIA RESOURCES page and find the video files in higher resolution. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/news/index.html Lunar Surface Animation + 14 Mb QuickTime (right-click to download) http://anon.nasa-global.edgesuite.net/anon.nasa-global/CEV/LunarSurface_Prog .mov High Definition: Windows 1080i 120 Mb QuickTime 1080i 120 Mb Windows 720p 76 Mb QuickTime 720p 76 Mb Windows 480p 32 Mb QuickTime 480p 32 Mb Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- We have passed December 8th but folks going back to the Moon will get to see Earth like the early astronauts did. -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.britannica.com/eb/art-68867 Planet Earth rising above the lunar horizon, an unprecedented view captured in December 1968 by Apollo 8 astronauts as their orbit carried them clear of the far side of the Moon. -------------------------------------------------------------- The last mission to the Moon, Apollo 17 had a good view looking up at the USA flag with Earth in view. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/frame.html select - Image Libs select - Apollo 17 images Used find for word "earth" until I got this - AS17-134-20384 (OF300) ( 92k or 652k ) http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/AS17-134-20384.jpg http://www.hq.nasa.gov/alsj/a17/AS17-134-20384HR.jpg 118:25:54 EVA-1 at the LM. This is an excellent portrait of Jack with the U.S. flag and the Earth. We get a good view of Jack's chest-mounted RCU and the camera bracket. Using planetarium program Starry Night Deluxe, we see that, had cloud cover over the southwestern Pacific been lighter, the Antarctica would have been visible at the left and Australia would have been coming into view over the top. Four hours later, Earth's rotation would bring Australia to center stage. -------------------------------------------------------------- Beautiful, yes! Now hang in there for the long haul. You too can carry the flame, pass the torch, tell someone, we ARE going back. :-) Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== If you find that life here on Earth is a bit chaotic, then consider building off world like these school kids did at the Space Settlement Contest at Ames. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/SpaceSettlement/Contest/ This annual contest, co-sponsored by NASA Ames and the National Space Society (NSS) is for 6-12th graders (11-18 years old) from anywhere in the world. Individuals, small teams of two to six, and large teams of seven or more (often whole classrooms with teacher leadership) may enter. Grades 6-9 and 10-12 are judged separately, except for the grand prize. Students develop space settlement designs and related materials. These are sent to NASA Ames for judgement. Submissions must be received by March 31, 2007. Check out the results of the 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 contests. Snip ============================================================== Take a look at some 202 images of what the kids came up with for the Space Settlement Contest. These are orbiting structures. You may have some kids that would like to build the Lunar Settlements that could supply the construction needs for such structures in space. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- Google images found the below using key words - ["space settlement" nasa contest] http://images.google.com/images?q=%22space+settlement%22+nasa+contest&ndsp=2 0&svnum=10&hl=en&lr=&start=0&sa=N&filter=0 (First 20 above, more there if you care to look. - LRK - ) Snip ============================================================== Want to watch another 8 minute video found with Google Video search? New Nasa Moon- Mars rocket CEV ARIS -------------------------------------------------------------- http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7681839647403561096&q=nasa+moon&hl= en http://www.space.tegoor.nl 8 min 55 sec - Dec 6, 2006 www.space.tegoor.nl High-tech animation brings the projected 2018 moon mission to life-from blastoff to lunar touchdown to return. The US Vision for Space Exploration NASA plans to return humans to the moon by 2018. Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== From larry.kellogg at gmail.com Sun Dec 31 11:34:57 2006 From: larry.kellogg at gmail.com (Larry Kellogg) Date: Sun, 31 Dec 2006 08:34:57 -0800 Subject: [lunar-update] Lunarpedia - Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from the Moon - [Return To The Moon] Digest Number 290 Message-ID: <001b01c72cf9$9dc990a0$6501a8c0@LRKLUNARUPDATE> Lunarpedia - Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from the Moon - [Return To The Moon] Digest Number 290 Here in Tracy, California and it is December 31, 2006. As I turn 69 years young, I wonder what will be in store for us in 2007. An e-mail from the "return_to_the_moon" yahoo group shows one effort, the new Wiki - lunarpedia. -------------------------------------------------------------- http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/return_to_the_moon/ Description Discussions regarding America's new projects to return to the moon. Returning to the moon, and eventual settlement driven by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's new mandate. Reminder: New members are initially moderated. Part of the InsideKSC.com yahoo discussion groups: Inside KSC: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/inside_ksc Project Constellation: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Project_Constellation Snip 828 Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from the Moon I posted some ideas on lunarpedia about Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from Luna. The Moon is an abundant source of He3. He3 has a market value,... Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- Take a look at what has been started. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.lunarpedia.org/index.php?title=Main_Page Main Page >From Lunarpedia Jump to: navigation, search Welcome to Lunarpedia! Groundbreaking began on the evening of 12 September 2006 and things are still in an early stage of development. The goal is to cover everything we will need to know how to do on Luna to set up colonies, as well as related efforts, designs, and business models that may eventually lead there. You can help! Click here to create your account -- or donate your content anonymously (at least for the time being). Lunarpedia:Outline draft -- Peter Kokh presented us with this and we think it's a good start on a framework for Lunarpedia. Please take a look through it and add anything we may have left out. Keep in mind that some subjects will have considerable overlaps with others. If you can think of a way of charting those overlaps we'd love to hear from you. Snip -------------------------------------------------------------- - LRK - Thanks for looking up with me. Larry Kellogg Web Site: http://lkellogg.vttoth.com/LarryRussellKellogg/ BlogSpot: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/ RSS link: http://kelloggserialreports.blogspot.com/atom.xml Newsletter: https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update ============================================================== [Return To The Moon] Digest Number 290 - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- 1a. Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from the Moon Posted by: "Charles F. Radley" Sat Dec 30, 2006 10:27 am (PST) I posted some ideas on lunarpedia about Existing Commercial Potential for Helium-3 from Luna. The Moon is an abundant source of He3. He3 has a market value, even though He3 fusion is not yet demonstrated. It might be worth collecting He3 from the Moon today simply to sell into the existing terrestrial market. Current market price for He3 is about $46,500 per troy ounce ($1500/gram, $1.5M/kg), more than 120 times the value of gold and over eight times the value of Rhodium. Question: can we reduce the cost of recovering He3 from the lunar surface to that level, e.g. $1500 per gram? What would be the capital cost of setting up a small He3 production facility on Luna? See this web link for more detailed discussion. http://www.lunarpedia.org/index.php?title=Helium3 Snip ============================================================== The NSS web site is also being updated. - LRK - -------------------------------------------------------------- http://www.nss.org/settlement/moon/index.html Excerpt from speech of John Marburger Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy Executive Office of the President March 15, 2006 The Moon has unique significance for all space applications for a reason that to my amazement is hardly ever discussed in popular accounts of space policy. The Moon is the closest source of material that lies far up Earth's gravity well. Anything that can be made from Lunar material at costs comparable to Earth manufacture has an enormous overall cost advantage compared with objects lifted from Earth's surface. The greatest value of the Moon lies neither in science nor in exploration, but in its material. I am talking about the possibility of extracting elements and minerals that can be processed into fuel or massive components of space apparatus. The production of oxygen in particular, the major component (by mass) of chemical rocket fuel, is potentially an important Lunar industry. What are the preconditions for such an industry? That, it seems to me, must be a primary consideration of the long range planning for the Lunar agenda. Science studies provide the foundation for a materials production roadmap. Clever ideas have been advanced for the phased construction of electrical power sources - perhaps using solar cells manufactured in situ from Lunar soil. A not unreasonable scenario is a phase of highly subsidized capital construction followed by market-driven industrial activity to provide Lunar products such as oxygen refueling services for commercially valuable Earth-orbiting apparatus. Snip ============================================================== WHAT THE MIND CAN CONCEIVE, AND BELIEVE, IT WILL ACHIEVE - LRK ============================================================== This is the lunar-update at news.altair.com https://news.altair.com/mailman/listinfo/lunar-update This list is a moderated list. The moderator is Larry Kellogg (larry.kellogg AT gmail.com) Please send suggestions for postings directly to Larry. ==============================================================